Advertise on podcast: WJR Business Beat

If you're a small business in particular, you need to be aware of the increasingly challenging playing field when it comes to managing your cash. You need to be prepared to be paid late in a meaningful number of cases, and to do that, you need to make sure you have a sufficient cash-on-hand position to hedge against these increasingly late payments due in from customers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

According to a 2026 Patient Choice report from healthcare reputation management firm Rater Eight, and as reported by MediaPost, reliance on AI to choose a healthcare provider has more than doubled in the past year from 17% a year ago to 36% this year, completely upending traditional methods like search engine marketing and referrals from other doctors. The report found that 47% of respondents have used AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or Google's AI Overviews to research providers, up from 31% in Rater Eight's prior research done nine months earlier. And one surprising finding, more 45 to 60 year-olds, reported actively using AI to find their providers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you're looking to add an effective marketing tactic to your campaigns, try influencer or creator campaigns, and set aside budget to add in order to boost these campaigns once they're proving effective. It's a tactic that's seeing more and more of the marketing departments' budgets these days, and again, that's for good reason. They're working. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kaylin Lohmaster, Director Analyst in Gartner's HR practice, said in a statement with the release of the study's results, "AI is ultimately going to reverse the course and result in more jobs gained than those lost by twenty twenty-eight." This does depend, however, on the need for organizations to rethink how employees gain expertise and grow within the organization, or companies will find themselves without ready talent for the jobs AI will help to create in the future. As companies continue to harness the capabilities of AI in the workplace, it will become increasingly important for HR leaders to take a more skill-centric approach. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New data shows that there is a growing number of older adults that are actually staying in the workforce or reentering it, or even opting to start a business of their own in retirement in order to simply make ends meet. Roughly one in five Americans age 65 plus are employed or looking for work. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In an era when trust seems to be more in doubt than ever before with the proliferation of AI and media sources which take positions rather than adhering to basic editorial standards and practices, who can we trust? Well, a new survey from TD Bank sheds some light on what sources Americans find to be most trustworthy for information we can count on, and here are some highlights from that survey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul Krucke, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK, had this to say about their big day. "The event is an opportunity to reflect on the partnerships, innovation, and leadership that continue to move our region forward," he said. "This year's honorees represent the very best of what makes the Ann Arbor region unique: visionary leadership, entrepreneurial success, industry innovation, and a deep commitment to building opportunity for others." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Athletic apparel is a near-universal category in which Nike leads by a wide margin. They own a 22% mental market share, the broadest occasion footprint, in a new study conducted by Morning Consult. For reference, mental market share means a brand's mental availability, how often it comes to mind compared to competitors when consumers think of buying in a given category. The athletic apparel category is showing strong retail results for brands and retailers alike. One that aspiring entrepreneurs should take a close look at if they're thinking of starting or growing a business of their own. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google has edged Apple out as the number one spot on this list now. Apple had occupied the number one spot for the last four years. This year, it's Google. The tech giant's brand value grew 57% over last year according to the data and analytics giant, which now values it at $1.48 trillion. The most powerful brands in the world according to Kantar Brands Report. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mother's Day shoppers spent an average of $284.25 per person for a total spend of around $38 billion. Who did all that spending? While both men and women spent more this year, it's men who continue to be most likely to splurge. This year, men budgeted an average of $346 per person, compared to women's $225 per person. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What are you worth? Well, that can be answered of course, in a lot of different ways, but in the context of business specifically, when it comes to your value, the average value of a US citizen in the advertising world. You're worth this, according to a recent report that analyzes and estimates the annual advertising value that people generate for Google's ad platform, the average US consumer generates about $1,605 per year in advertising value. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As consumers, we need to have our guards up more than ever to protect against fraudulent activity. And now new data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that social media has become the leading channel for consumer fraud, with reported losses reaching 2.1 billion in 2025. The figure marks an eightfold increase since 2020, highlighting the growing role of digital platforms in large-scale scam operations. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David Cohen, CEO at the International Advertising Bureau says this, the revenue growth reflects a market that has reoriented around performance channel. As expectations for measurable outcomes rise, investment is concentrating in areas that can directly correlate to spend when it comes to advertising and marketing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New data from a survey just released by True Caller, entitled The 2026 Phone Fraud and AI Threat Survey puts into perspective just how bothersome these calls are. First of the individuals polled, 75% say they've been targeted by a spam call or a text in the past 12 months. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trying to find an angle in your marketing strategy, one that reaches your audience at an attractive cost per acquisition? One that will help you break out from the noise and get noticed. One that will stand out from the same old, same old approach to creating awareness and driving sales. While a creator marketing campaign is designed to do just that. E-marketer newsletter just featured a great story on how creator marketing is helping a brand break into public awareness. By using creators to make it happen last month, formula E, the Motor Sports Championship for electric vehicles, invited creators to test its cars and compete in a live knockout style race. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.